The Asian Vampire Problem
by TheDayYouSaidGoodnight
Summary: Another vampire incident goes on. It coincides with Van Helsing's mission. This isn't in Europe. Whom will they send? Throw in a confused Cardinal Jinette, a misfit Knight, a mosquitohating friar, a tomboyish heiress and you have a wacky adventure.
1. A New Problem

Well…uhm…hi. I'm TheDayYouSaidGoodnight and this is my first Van Helsing fanfiction. I don't rant about reviews. Flames are very welcome. They'll be used to forge a dagger and metal for a gun. Forgive my attempts at humor. I hope this can be funny. Names here are fictional. That includes priests and cardinals and ordinary people. This won't help anyone in history.

Disclaimer: I don't own Van Helsing or its characters. I don't own Cardinal Jinette, the Knights of the Holy Order, the Vatican, and the Pope. I only own these characters of mine. I also don't own Filipino folklore…wait, I am Filipino. There are some true places mentioned here.

Full summary: In the year 1888, another vampire incident coincides with the mission of Van Helsing. This time, it's not in Europe anymore. It's in Asia, in the other side of the world. Send a misfit for a Knight of the Holy Order and a friar who's afraid of mosquitoes to meet a tomboy for an aristocratic heiress and you will find secrets within an archipelago.

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Chapter 1: A New Problem 

1888, Spanish-controlled Philippines…

The sun went down from the panoramic sky. A silent village did not see the beauty of this sunset. An awful horror awaited them as the darkness engulfed the heavens.

"Hide in your homes! A vampire is coming to get us!" a frightened old woman said in her native dialect as she saw a half-bodied woman flying in the air like a bat out of hell. "It's the manananggal!" another man said, dropping his belongings.

The monster landed on the cobbled streets. She had long, tangled hair like the vines of the banyan tree. Her body was bloody and she was only dressed in crude black cloth. Her entrails reached to the ground, coming out from the split at her waist. Her eyes were bloody red and scary. Bloody fangs dripped from her mouth. Her nails were long and sharp with a disgusting yellow tinge in them. Her bat-like wings reached a span of 10 feet.

The manananggal, as the people called this kind of vampire, saw an open window of a wooden house and saw a baby in her crib. She flew into the window and grabbed the baby with her claws. The mother came to the scene late. "No! Please spare my baby! Kill me instead!" the mother said.

The monster seemed not to listen. She took the child in her arms, impaled it with her long, sharp claws and smiled evilly. The mother dropped to her knees, crying. The manananggal cackled, saying, "Nobody can stop me from doing what I want to do. I will still get your children and eat their pure livers and insides." The mother rushed to the family altar and sprayed some holy water on the vampire. To her surprise, it didn't work. The vampire cackled even more and flew into the dark sky. "God, help me…" the mother wailed, as family members came into the scene. They wept too. This was the first time ever that a vampire went to their village.

The parish priest of the village sent a letter to the Cardinal in the Philippine capital, Manila about this. The Cardinal felt pity for the people of the village. He sent a letter to the Knights of the Holy Order, where he was once a member before he was assigned to the colony as a priest.

Vatican City, Headquarters of the Knights of the Holy Order…

The old Cardinal sat on his desk in his office, reading some papers as he awaited the return of Van Helsing and Carl, the friar. The morning sun peered into the glass windows, illuminating the whole room. A knock was heard on the door of his office.

"Come in." the Cardinal said. A messenger handed him a letter in an envelope with the seal of another Cardinal. "A letter from the Cardinal in the Philippines, your Eminence, is here." The messenger said.

"Ah, a letter from an old friend of mine, maybe he just wants to say hello. Oh, and of course, the holidays are near." The Cardinal Jinette said, chuckling to himself. "No, your Eminence, it didn't seem to be a greeting card. They had me deliver it urgently." "Thank you. You may go now." Then the messenger left and closed the door.

Cardinal Jinette sat on his chair and opened the letter using his letter opener blessed by the Pope himself. He read the letter.

_Cardinal Gregorio Jimenez _

_Residence of the Archbishop_

_Arzobispo Street, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines_

_Cardinal Jinette_

_Knights of the Holy Order_

_Vatican City Headquarters_

_To my friend, Cardinal Jinette,_

_Greetings, my old friend! Happy holidays to you!_

"See…it was a holiday greeting. Wait…what's this?" the cardinal said.

_My true intention of writing to you is to ask your help and especially the help of the Knights of the Holy Order. In one of the villages of the Philippines, in Roxas, a village in the province of Capiz, in the Visayan archipelago, a new kind of evil has awakened. It is called a manananggal in local folklore and it has started attacking young children. The townsfolk have tried all methods of getting rid of this creature but they have failed. Please help these devout people. They do not really know what to do and seek help. I shall be waiting for your response. If ever your forces will need help, tell them to look for Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo. She can help them. Thank you for your help, my old friend. May God always be with you._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Cardinal Gregorio Jimenez_

Cardinal Jinette stared at the letter. "I can't send anyone! Van Helsing is off chasing Dracula! Carl is with Van Helsing! What am I going to do? God, help me!" he said, pacing around the room in a panicked state.

When he had calmed down, he took a pen and paper with his seal and started writing.

_Cardinal Jinette_

_Knights of the Holy Order_

_Vatican City Headquarters_

_Cardinal Gregorio Jimenez_

_Residence of the Archbishop_

_Arzobispo Street, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines_

_Dear Cardinal Jimenez,_

_Thank you for the greeting. I have received your call for help. I am very sorry to tell you that my best monster hunter is off to a mission in Transylvania. I will send another knight to help you. I will also send another friar/scientist for the mission. I will send them both directly to the village. May God always be with you._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Cardinal Jinette_

He had this letter sent to the Philippines. As he was walking by the corridors in the headquarters, he saw a young man dancing some eccentric steps which would be the modern "I Feel Good" dance steps.

"What in Heaven's name?" the elderly cleric said as he ran towards the young man. He recognized this man because he was one of the Knights. "You are a Knight, why are you drunk? Why are you dancing like a possessed woman?" The young man stopped dancing. "I'm sorry, Cardinal. I drank too much coffee with sugar this morning. Yes, sir, I know my duties and proper decorum as a knight." "Just make sure you won't do it again. You'll be the laughingstock of the Order!" the elder one said. "Yes, yes." The young man said as he went off.

An older Knight, Severino de Cadiz y Osario, greeted the Cardinal. "Greetings, your Eminence. I believe our loony young Knight passed this way." "Ah, Severino. True, he was dancing here a while ago." "Don't be fooled, sir, that boy is just 23 but he is the second best of the Knights." "That coffee-dependent boy is the second best in the Order?" "Yes, and he's open for any mission." "What is the young one's name?" "Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez." "Send him to my office when he's not being…loony." He said, as the Knight went off.

"Ayayayayay…some men remain children until you knock their brains out." the Cardinal said, going back to his office.

Later…

A young man burst open into the doors of the Cardinal's office. "Hey, your Eminence! You sent for me?" "Don't you know how to knock?" "Of course I do. I'll give you a demonstration." Felipe took off the Cardinal's skullcap and knocked on the cleric's head. The older man was not at all pleased. "You do not knock at someone's head! Well, anyway, let's get started." He said.

"So, you are Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez. I've heard from Sir Severino that you are one of the best. I'm sending you to a mission that you might enjoy." "I'm going on a mission! I'm going to be sent on a mission! What's my mission?" he asked.

"I need you to go to the East, in…" the elderly man was cut off in mid-sentence when the man said, "Eastern Europe? I want to go to Transylvania!" "I'm sorry, my son, but someone is there already. You will go to Asia, to an archipelago called the Philippines, currently colonized by Spain. There is a village there named Roxas, Capiz Province in the Visayas Islands which will need your help. It is terrorized by an extraordinary kind of vampire. I need you to vanquish it and free the people."

"It's just a vampire! How hard could it get?" Felipe said. "Don't speak too soon, son, I heard that all means of vanquishing it have failed. Do you understand?" Cardinal Jinette said. "Yes, your Eminence." "Now, go to the laboratory and find Friar Bartholomew Altarcross. He will keep you company during your voyage. Also, you must find Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo, who can help you in your mission. God be with you." "Thank you, sir." "Oh, I forgot. If you want to give that killjoy friar a scare, bring him some mosquitoes…well, I heard there are a lot of them in the Philippines." Cardinal Jinette said, smiling. "Well, okay." And at that, he left.

At the laboratory…

A short, thin friar in the garb of a Franciscan priest came to the young knight. He was newly-ordained. He had small, piercing black eyes, big ears, a pointed nose and parted brown hair. His skin was pale. "So, are you the knight Cardinal wanted me to meet? Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez? " the short friar said.

The man in front of the friar was of course, Felipe. He was a tall, slender yet strong man with straight, yet wild black hair and deep, dark eyes. He was fair-skinned. He had an aquiline nose and medium-sized ears. His lips were thinly pressed. His cheeks had a ruddy glow. He wore the standard uniform for the Knights and from his belt hung many weapons.

"Yes. I am, and you are Bartholomew Altarcross?" "Yes…now, let's go and get the things you need, for tomorrow, we leave." "Can I call you Bart?" "Holy dammit, no, by all means, no! You may not call me Bart! What will you say if I call you Filly?" "You shouldn't curse…and don't call me Filly! It sounds girlish." "I am a friar…I can curse all I want." Bartholomew said. "Whatever you say, Mr. I-am-afraid-of-mosquitoes!" "_Damn that Cardinal! _How did you know that, Felipe?"

"Bart, Bart, Bart, of course, Cardinal Jinette told me." "Did I tell you yet that the Philippines has a lot of mosquitoes?" "Nooooooo!" "He ordered me to take you with me." "Alright then. Let's just get the things we need. Cardinal told me the other details,_ misfit knight. _"

They readied the things they needed for tomorrow's voyage: some crucifixes, holy water, garlic, a crossbow, some silver stakes and bullets, a few guns, weird substances and some weapons Felipe himself owned.

That night…

Felipe was packing his belongings in one bag. As he was rummaging through his things, he found a dagger. Its handle was made of obsidian, inset with precious stones. It had a curved blade forged with silver and steel. The scabbard was made of tough and shiny obsidian, also inset with precious stones. He threw it into his bag, thinking that he might need it.

After fixing his belongings, he lay on his bed and said, "What could happen?" before he shut his eyes to sleep.

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Okay, a bit long, sorry. Please review…well…that's optional. I'll try to update soon. 


	2. Entry into the Cursed Village

Vampire guts for this kind of vampire truly stick out. They're half-bodied creatures of Philippine mythology. All right…no more time for explaining. This is chapter 2. Thanks to all those who reviewed. You really inspire me to continue. I might have some historical facts here.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Van Helsing and its characters. I only own my characters.

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Chapter 2: Entry into the Cursed Village

Vatican City, about 5 in the morning…

A knock broke the silence of Felipe's quarters. "Felipe, wake up!" "Huh?" the Knight said, and took his pistol. "Who's there?" he said, swinging his pistol back and forth. "I have a gun! No vampire can kill me!" Bartholomew opened the door slowly but when he opened the door, Felipe shouted, "VAMPIIIIIIIIRE!" and shot at his door.

"Felipe! It's me!" Bart said, cowering. "Oh, Bart! I'm sorry. I thought you were some vampire!" "No, it's alright. Now, go take a bath and get ready to leave. But before we leave, the Cardinal would want to have a few words with you. And…don't you think I can't speak in Spanish! I'm a fluent speaker!"

With the Cardinal in the Vatican laboratory…

"Felipe, Bartholomew, I have here an artist's depiction of the manananggal terrorizing the village of Roxas. I also received some stories that there is not only one manananggal here. Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo, the lady who will help you in your mission, belongs to the most prominent clan in Roxas and I believe it will not be hard to find her. You know what you both have to do. Good luck and God be with you." The Cardinal said.

"Thank you, Cardinal. We will try our best." Felipe said as he and Bart left for the Philippines.

Their journey…

Since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, journeys to Asia were shorter. Instead of the old sea routes that took years, the new route to Asia took months. From Rome to a port in Cebu, the 2nd largest city in the Philippines after Manila, the capital, it only took them 8 months.

From Cebu, they took a barge from there to a harbor in Capiz. After a few days on horseback, they reached Roxas, which evolved from village to town.

Arrival at Roxas…

"I feel like I'm at home again!" Felipe said, as the warm morning sunshine shone on the town of Roxas. The stone houses lined the cobbled roads. It was the miniature version of Spain, his home country.

"It is a nice town…I wonder what made it cursed." Bartholomew said as little Filipino children flocked around them. "_Mabuhay!_ (Welcome!)" The poor children said. "Hello…" Bart said queasily.

Felipe said, "Hello, little children. Do you know where Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo lives?" in Spanish. "Huh?" the children said, scratching their heads. "Felipe, you're really a dolt for a Knight. They can't speak Spanish. Didn't you forget that the conquistadors didn't want them to learn Spanish?" Bart said snappily. "I'm sorry. Well, we'd better walk on." Felipe said, flipping a coin and left it on the street for the children.

They walked on the streets, seeing some beautiful Filipina ladies going around their chores in simple _baro't sayas_. They also saw some playful children chasing each other as some carriages pulled by. Some of the civil guards and the police were on their rounds but saluted when they saw Felipe, a _peninsulares_, a Spaniard born in Spain.

"There are many policemen here. If they find out I'm English, they'll kill me." Bart said. "No, as long as I'm here, you're safe." Felipe said. They arrived at the church and they looked for the parish priest.

"The parish priest, sirs, is in the convent. Let me guide you there." A sacristan said, as the two monster hunters followed.

Office of the parish priest…

"So you are Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez and Friar Bartholomew Altarcross, the help that Cardinal Jinette of Rome has sent. Welcome to Roxas." "Thank you very much, Father. What can we do for the town?" Felipe inquired.

"I am Father Jose Marquez-Villalobos. Our town is plagued by three vampire sisters. They have made the people lose their faith in God. They have also taken some of the children of the town. The mothers and fathers are grieving. It pains me. Please, kill the three sisters before all of the children of this town are dead…" the parish priest said, almost sobbing.

Felipe and Bart exchanged glances and nodded. "We will try to do something for this town. How do we kill them?" Bart asked. "The civil guards have tried all methods, including suggestions from the Church. Nothing has worked. I believe you must trick it out yourselves. But be careful when the manananggals are in human form, they can be very seductive. Also, take this bottle of specially-brewed coconut oil. It will bubble and unmask the pretty vampire when used." The parish priest said. Bart took hold of the bottle.

"Father Marquez-Villalobos, do you know how we will find Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo?" Bart asked. "She belongs to the governing clan in this town. Sadly, only she and a few of her relatives are left. I remember giving the final blessing to her mother who died during her birth. Her father died trying to kill the manananggals. Her elder brother was killed during a war where he was one of the commanding officers." The priest said. "She lives somewhere here, in a mansion that's hard to miss."

"Thank you, Father Marquez-Villalobos. We'll try our best to rid the town of this threat." Felipe said. "May God be with you, Knight Felipe and Friar Bartholomew." The priest said as they departed.

Outside the parish…

"How will we find Cayetana?" Felipe said. "Well, Felipe, the parish priest said that she lives in a mansion that's very hard to miss." "Let's walk some more." The knight said as suddenly, a beautiful black stallion jumped over his head and landed gracefully on the cobblestones.

"Hey!" Felipe said, running to the horse. "Your horse almost trampled on my head, you careless idiot!" The rider took off the hat on her head.

Her shiny black hair was tied in a ponytail and the tied hair was curled yet the remaining hair on her head was straight. She had a complexion fairer than most of the women in the town. Her deep, dark eyes sparkled and she had an aquiline nose. Her cheeks had a natural red tinge in them and her soft, pink lips were in a small smile. From her ears dangled chandelier earrings. She was dressed in the black dress, leggings and boots of the equestriennes in her time. She was tall and looked regal on the horse.

"Oh, I'm very sorry, sir. Please excuse my horse, Blanco. He is quite hyperactive today. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you and your friend?" the beautiful lady said. "May I know your name?" Felipe asked. "It is Maria Cayetana de Agoncillo." She replied.

"I am one of the Knights of the Holy Order. My name is Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez and this is Friar Bartholomew Altarcross, an English friar of the Vatican. We are the help the Knights of the Holy Order have sent. But you must not tell anyone that I am from the order." He said, bowing in front of her. "So you are the one our town has been waiting for. Come with Friar Bartholomew and I will welcome you to my home." She said, leading the way down the road.

At Cayetana's mansion…

Felipe and Bartholomew were stunned as they came upon a large manor. It had a stone wall enclosing the perimeter and tall steel gates. The house itself was an architect's masterpiece in wood and stone. Several flowering tropical plants and fruit-bearing trees surrounded the house. A fountain stood in front of the house.

"Welcome to my home." Cayetana said, dismounting her horse like a man. One of the servants took her horse to the stables. Felipe couldn't say a word. Bartholomew said, "Bless me Lord, I am in heaven." "Well, stop staring. Let's go inside." She said.

They entered the grand doorway and sat down at the living room, where Cayetana's aunt was finishing her embroidery. "Aunt Teresa, I am home." The middle-aged woman put down her embroidery and embraced her niece. "How was the equestrian's competition?" she asked.

Cayetana pulled out a gold trophy with her name inscribed on it from the folds of her dress. "Now, let's put this in your rack of trophies. Who are your visitors?" the aunt asked. "This is Felipe de Lopez y Rodriguez, a Spaniard from Spain, a holy warrior. This is Friar Bartholomew Altarcross, an Englishman, a friar of the Vatican. They were the help from Rome."

"I hope you two can help our town. We might be a childless town if the terrorizing does not stop." Aunt Teresa said soberly. "We will help the town. I assure you of that." Felipe said. Aunt Teresa gave a smile and put the trophy in a spacious rack filled with her niece's other trophies.

Felipe, Bart and Cayetana sat on the chairs in the living room. "Does anyone else live in this large house of yours?" Friar Bart asked. "No one else except me, my aunt and the servants." Cayetana said.

"When should we begin the search for the manananggal sisters?" Felipe asked. "We should start tomorrow in the morning. It's still early today. It's just…1 o' clock in the afternoon." Cayetana said, pulling out a gold pocket watch. "You're too excited, Felipe!" Bart said. "Well, I think you wouldn't want to be in the house. I don't do much in here. My life is with the horses in our stables. I'm an equestrienne." Cayetana said, leading them out.

In the stables…

"Can I try riding them? Please! Please! Please!" Felipe said like an excited child. "Whatever you're thinking, Felipe, I'm not going. I'm just going to watch." Bart said, sitting by a bench. "Alright." Cayetana said. She called one of the servants in the native Filipino tongue. "Hilario…ready Blanco, my stallion. Put reins and saddles on Fernando."

After a few minutes, a white stallion and a black stallion were led by a servant to Felipe and Cayetana. She mounted Blanco and told Felipe to mount too. As soon as Felipe got his feet in the stirrups, his horse began to run.

"Felipe! What in heaven's name are you doing?" Bartholomew screamed. "I don't know with the horse!" The knight exclaimed. "Pull the reins, Felipe, pull it." Cayetana said. Felipe pulled the reins and the crazed horse stopped.

Cayetana rode near Felipe. "Are you alright? You seem like you need a horse riding lesson." She said. "I do need one…" he said. "When you kick or hit the horse's flank, you make it trod or run. If you will do a half-stand, you will not fall off. When you pull the reins straight, you stop it. If you lead the reins to another direction, you can lead the horse to another direction." She said.

"Thanks, that was…helpful." Felipe said. Cayetana sneakily took out her riding whip and hit the horse's flank. Fernando, the horse, ran. "Oh my Lord!" Felipe screamed as the horse ran like the wind. "Remember what I taught you!" she said. Bartholomew stood up and tried to hit Cayetana behind her back for what she did. She knew that he was there and she constricted his hand then let him go.

"Cayetana whipped the horse…What did she teach me…of course!" Felipe said, panicking. He did a half-stand on the horse and put his weight on the stirrups. He sat down again and pulled the reins hard. The horse whinnied then came to a halt. He said, "Fernando…please don't do that again." The knight kicked the horse a bit and led him back to the stables.

"Very good, Felipe." Cayetana said, "I think I had enough horsing around today," Felipe said. "Go and dismount." She said. Felipe dismounted as Hilario, one of the servants, took Fernando away. She took her feet off the stirrups and stood on her horse's back.

"Stand back, Felipe!" she said. "Are you contemplating suicide?" Bartholomew said. "No, I'm doing an unconventional way to dismount a horse." She said. She jumped off the horse. Felipe thought she was falling so he ran and caught her. "Are you okay?" he asked. She exhaled sharply. "I am. You know I can jump off a horse myself. Please, put me down. It looks awkward." She said as he gently put her down.

They heard a woman's screech as the sun started to set. "What was that?" Bartholomew asked. "Look in the sky!" Cayetana said, seeing the split-bodied vampire flying in the air. Felipe took out his pistol then tried to shoot into the sky.

Cayetana held Felipe's hand. "It's no use. Save your bullets…" "How are we going to beat them if we don't try?" he retorted. "We should get our holy items, Felipe." Bart said. "Bart…I think it is the best time to search. We can put an end to the terrorizing. We just have to patrol the city by night." Felipe said. "It's going to be the end for them."

"No…" Cayetana said, "It's only the beginning of our battle." She added, looking at the dark sky. "In that case, let's go inside." Felipe said, pulling his two companions back inside the house.

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And that was chapter 2! Updates will come as soon as possible. 


	3. Enemy in Mortal Disguise

Sorry for not updating in a long time. TDYSG is back on track with chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Van Helsing!

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Chapter 3: Enemy in Mortal Disguise

That night…

"Cayetana, where do I go to sleep? I am quite sleepy…" Bartholomew, the cowardly friar said. "I'll lead you to your rooms now. You two should not have eaten too much during supper. Anyway, did you like the food?" the noble equestrienne said. "I'm never leaving the Philippines unless I have a one year supply of your Aunt Teresa's cooking." Felipe said. "You'll have more of that in the days to come." Cayetana said, chuckling as they went up the grand staircase.

At the second floor…

"Uh, Cayetana, do your beds here have mosquito nets?" Bart asked. "Don't worry, friar, you won't be bitten by those mosquitoes. Welcome to your room. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway if you need a bath. Enjoy your room." She said, opening the huge wooden door. She left the two.

Felipe stepped in and was blown away by the sheer luxury of the room. Bartholomew couldn't help but stare. The room had two grand beds with mahogany posts, velvet drapes and durable mosquito nets. Beside the beds were two oil lamps on ornate acacia tables. Two armoires balanced the walls. Beside the door were two mirrors which have frames gilded with gold. The wood and capiz shell windows had screens to prevent mosquitoes from coming in but let in the cool breeze. Above all, the cozy room was illuminated by a sparkling chandelier.

After unloading their luggage, Bartholomew said a short prayer then slept. He looked quite tired after all. Felipe took a large washcloth and headed to the bathroom. He saw that the bathroom had a light in it but the door was not locked. He thought nobody was inside until he opened the door.

"What are you doing here, pervert!" Cayetana said, defensively covering herself with a large towel. Her hair was filled with suds and her feet were not rinsed yet. "I'm sorry, it wasn't locked!" Felipe said apologetically. "You're still a pervert! You dare enter a bathroom like that…and you say you're a knight! What kind of knight are you? Get out! Get out!" she said, raising a fist at him. He scurried outside, and ran to his room. The aristocratic lady continued her bath but she felt guilty talking to Felipe like that. After washing herself clean, she dressed up in her room and knocked on his door.

Felipe's room…

Felipe was dressing up, for he had bathed shortly. As he fastened the last button on his shirt and fixed his pants, he heard a soft knock on his door. "Oh, it's Miss Privacy." The knight said, frowning as he answered the door. Cayetana leaned on the doorpost, facing sideways. She avoided his angry gaze and saw that Bartholomew was fast asleep on his bed. Guilty eyes looked downcast, expressing how sorry she was for that.

"What are you here for? You want to snoop on me the same way I did to you? Then fine! I'll show you my nakedness!" Felipe said, unbuttoning his shirt. "That's not what I want to tell you…" she said, almost whispering. The knight fixed his clothing and his anger turned into mercy.

"Look, I'm sorry. It was my fault that you got in there. I'm sorry if I shouted at you. I was just trying to defend myself but okay…it was my fault. Are you happy now?" Cayetana said, staring at him. A moment of dead silence came upon them. "I'm sorry too. Maybe I should have been more careful and more sensitive. Pardon me, my lady." The knight said, taking the woman's hand. "Your apologies are accepted. Well, good night, Felipe. The hunt starts tomorrow. Get some rest." She said, walking towards her room.

Felipe smiled to himself as he went to bed. He blew out the lamp and locked the door of the room. He went under the sheets and slept on the soft pillows and mattress.

At 12 midnight…

Aunt Teresa finished the final stitch of the tablecloth that she had put so much effort into. She smiled in satisfaction as she folded the cloth. She opened her window to gaze at the stars but she did not see the stars. She saw the horrid face of one of the manananggal sisters as she floated by her window.

"Isn't the night so lovely?" the vampire asked her. "Why are you here?" Aunt Teresa said. "Let's say that we sisters have no more food tonight. The flesh and blood of someone as devout and pure as you would taste good." the vampire named Linlang said. Without warning, she snatched the defenceless old lady with her sharp claws and they flew off in the night sky. Aunt Teresa screamed for help, praying to God that she would be saved.

Cayetana was awakened by the screams. "Aunt Teresa!" she said. She hurriedly dressed up in her clothes for battle and took her weapons. She looked outside her window and saw her aunt being carried by Linlang in the cold night sky. She shut her window, got her keys, blew off all the candles and lamps, locked her door and silently went out of the house. She rode on her trusty horse, Blanco and left for the dark forest where the manananggals lived.

With tears in her eyes, the equestrienne rode off in top speed as she bravely went into the dark forest. She was determined to rescue her Aunt Teresa. Her aunt was the only family she had left. She didn't mind the things that came her way. All she wanted was to save her aunt.

The next morning…

Felipe woke up the next morning with a smile. His bed was comfortable and gave him a good night's sleep. The sun's rays peered into the room, providing a warm glow. He woke Bartholomew up.

"Wake up, sleepy friar! The hunt starts today." Felipe said. "Yeah, yeah, sure." Bart said trying to get up. They went out of the room to find Cayetana and Aunt Teresa. "Cayetana! Cayetana!" the knight shouted but he didn't find her. The two went to her room. Bartholomew peeked in the keyhole but found nobody inside.

They went to Aunt Teresa's room and found it a total mess. Her embroidered tablecloth lay messily on the floor. There was no sign of the two women anywhere until one of the servants went to them with a terrified look on his face.

"My friend, you seem terrified!" Bartholomew said. "Blanco…the horse is gone! And if the horse is gone, then mistress Cayetana is gone!" the servant said. "Gone? Where did she go?" Felipe said. "I don't know…and I haven't seen Mistress Teresa too." Apolinario, the servant said. "They're both gone!" the friar said.

"Let's eat and bathe first before we look for them." Felipe said as the servants cooked them some breakfast. They bathed and dressed up for battle. Bartholomew brought his holy items while Felipe checked his weapons before they left the manor.

They heard a knock on the mansion's door before they left. Felipe opened it and he found Cayetana at the door, her hair unruly, with scars, wounds and gashes covering her clothes and body.

"Cayetana? What happened to you and where have you been?" Bartholomew asked. "Aunt Teresa was captured by those monsters. They took her to the forest but I couldn't find her. Blanco and I were attacked by wild boars and other animals when we went back here." She said in between sharp breaths as she entered the house.

"Don't worry, we'll find your aunt. Take care of yourself and rest." Felipe said, reassuring her. "Before you go, take this. This is a sword with a blade made out of a stingray's tail. This will help you fight them. Be brave." Cayetana said, handing him her sword. "Do you have a bottle of coconut oil?" she asked. "Yes, we do have a bottle of it. The parish priest gave it to us yesterday morning." Bartholomew said.

"Thank you, Cayetana. Apolinario, make sure your mistress is taken care of while we're gone. We'll be back by dusk." Felipe said as he and Bartholomew rode on two horses into the dark forest.

The shutting of the door signalled the departure of the knight and the monk. "Come now, mistress, we must get your wounds bandaged." Apolinario said. "Thank you, Apolinario. I can handle this on my own." The lovely equestrienne said, giving a faint smile.

She slowly took a basin of water and a few washcloths and quietly entered her room. She winced as she placed the boiled guava leaves on her skin. It burned like hell. Her body was almost cut into pieces by the vicious manananggals but she wouldn't have escaped without her trusty steed, Blanco. After treating all her wounds and bruises, she slept, for she was drowsy and had lacked sleep throughout the night.

In the dark forest…

Two steeds trotted into the dark forest, each with a rider. "Felipe, can't we turn back? It is a bit scary here." Bartholomew said. "No, friar, we made Cayetana a promise. There's no turning back here." The gallant knight said, as he kissed the cross hanging on his neck. He noticed that the bottle of coconut oil hung conspicuously on the friar's neck. "You'd better keep that, if you don't want them to kill you." "All right, Felipe." Bart said, keeping the vial.

As they went deeper and deeper into the jungle, they became thirsty and tired because of the tropical climate. _I wonder how these Filipinos survive this kind of climate. It's hot and humid! _Bartholomew complained at the back of his head. But then, he saw a small hut in the middle of the clearing.

"Felipe! Look! There's a hut. Maybe they can give us some water." The friar exclaimed. "I am quite thirsty…" Felipe said as they rode on to the clearing.

At the hut…

The two dismounted their horses and hitched them to a dao tree. "Anybody home? We're thirsty travellers. May we have some water?" Felipe asked in Spanish. Presently, a petite young lady went down the bamboo steps of the hut. She brought two coconut shells filled to the brim with water. "

"I believe you have travelled so much, masters. Come stay with me and my sisters. I am Linlang, the youngest." The lady said. She had small brown eyes, a slightly flat nose, thin pink lips pressed into a smile and wavy black hair that framed her face and shoulders.

"Why, thank you. Well, we need some local help in finding the manananggal sisters." Bartholomew said. Inwardly, Linlang flinched but she didn't let the men know. She just gave a frown and said, "I am sorry, we cannot help you. But if you want to stay, you are welcome." She said.

"I would want to meet your sisters, Linlang. Please introduce them to me." Felipe said as the seemingly harmless lady went inside to fetch her sisters. Bartholomew pulled Felipe aside, behind one of the narra trees. He took out the bottle of coconut oil. It bubbled and boiled.

"They're the manananggals, my friend! We must kill them now while they are in human form!" the friar said. "No, I think we should gain their trust first before we attempt anything. They might suspect what we're up to." Felipe said as they went to the hut again. There was Linlang, with her two older sisters who seemed to look like her. Bartholomew noticed that there was a gash on the middle sister's throat.

"These are my sisters, Saksak, and Takutin." Linlang said, pointing to her sisters. "A pleasure to meet you, sirs." Saksak said. "Please, just call me Ildefonso." Felipe said, hiding his name. Nervously, Bartholomew said, "Oh, please, uh, call me Epifanio. Excuse me, young lady, I think the gash on your throat looks horrible." He pointed to Saksak.

"Well, I was wounded by a stingray barb. I almost died until my sisters rescued me." Saksak said glumly. "Who did this to you?" Felipe said, feigning concern. "The one who did this to me was the daughter of the _gobernadorcillo_ of this town. She is one of the prominent members of the Agoncillo clan, a clan of equestrians and equestriennes." She said, words dripping with venom.

A chord struck within Felipe when he heard Cayetana's surname. He almost charged the woman in front of him. But instead, he said, "Oh…that is very disappointing."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ildefonso and Epifanio. I hope you will enjoy your stay here. Well, I shall be off to cook lunch. Linlang will be chopping the firewood…alone. Saksak shall draw water from the river." Takutin, the eldest said.

"Well, we'd better be going. Our 'sister' is very, very sick." Bartholomew said, so that he and Felipe would not be tempted to stay long there. "No, please, stay with us." Linlang said, holding Bartholomew's hand. "I'm sorry, my good lady, but our sister needs us both." The friar said, as he and the knight unhitched their horses and rode to town.

At the Agoncillo manor…

"Can you repeat what you said?" Cayetana said, glaring at Felipe. She had been well for the time that they were gone. Though covered in bandages, she was not hindered by the wounds. "We went to the forest. We just tried to know what they were up to…and I found the one that you almost killed with the stingray barb." He said.

"They seemed friendly." Bartholomew said. "Aren't all of the traitors like that at first? They took my father…then my aunt Teresa. Would you consider them friendly? Huh?" Cayetana said, choking the friar. "No...No…no!" the friar said as the temperamental aristocrat drew her hand back and sat on her bed.

"Cayetana, we can still find your aunt Teresa. I know she's just out there." Felipe said, sitting beside her. "By God's grace, she might be safe, or she may have escaped." Bartholomew said, squeezing her shoulder.

"I'm sorry if I acted rashly, it's because I don't want to lose my aunt. She stood as my mother through all of the 21 years of my life. She was my first teacher before I attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila and the University of Madrid. She was the one who hung all my medals on my neck and even cried as I gave the valedictory speech." She said, crying.

Felipe and Bartholomew nodded at each other. "Cayetana, will you allow Bart and me to find the manananggals by night? We will avenge you." "This is also my battle. Let me come with you, Felipe." "But, you're hurt." Bart said. "No, not even the deepest of scars and wounds can destroy the spirit of honor." Cayetana firmly said.

"Well, then, we must be ready tonight." Felipe said as they all prepared for the coming night.

* * *

Guide to some stuff:

**Linlang**- this is a verb in Filipino which means "betray"

**Saksak**- another Filipino verb meaning "stab"

**Takutin**- Filipino verb meaning "to scare"

**Stingray barb**- the tails of stingrays were said to be potent melee weapons against manananggals and aswangs

**Gobernadorcillo**- this was the equivalent of a town mayor in Spanish colonial times

Thanks for reviews! Flames allowed.


	4. Around the Flickering Oil Lamp

So, I haven't been updating in a while, eh? This is the solution to your waiting. I'm sorry if I made you wait. Then, here is your reward. You know the disclaimer. And to Kairi's-twin, yes, _aswangs_ are also other kinds of vampires.

Chapter 4: Around the Flickering Oil Lamp

Cayetana's room…after dinner, after bathing, after dressing, after packing…

"Have you closed all your doors and windows?" Cayetana asked, sealing her bag filled with various weapons and closing her windows. "Yes, yes of course!" the friar Bartholomew said. "Are you sure you brought all the weapons you need?" she asked. "Nothing is missing. Everything's alright." Felipe said, almost stunned by how spacious the equestrienne's room was.

"Felipe, Bartholomew, take one of these." Cayetana said, her wavy black hair following the turning of her head. She held three swords crafted out of _buntot pagi_, steel and obsidian. The two strapped the swords onto their belts. "Cayetana, are you sure we can find them at night?" "Yes, we can. Let's go." she said.

The trio held flaming torches in their hands as they rode the steeds of the de Agoncillo clan. They set off into the dark forest, braving the chilly air of death.

In the forest…

"Can we turn back now? I really don't like it here! Mosquitoes are swarming around me!" the friar said. "No!" Felipe and Cayetana chorused. She raised her torch, looking for anything in the jungle that would be a threat to them. Felipe and Bart rode next to her, embarrassed that she was even braver than they were.

"Are we there yet?" Felipe asked. "Yes, we're near. Be quiet. I think they're still there." Cayetana said, seeing a one-storey hut in the distance. After a few more minutes, they dismounted and tied their horses to a nearby yet hidden acacia tree.

Cayetana drew out her sword and walked towards the humble hut. It was lighted by an oil lamp, and she was sure that someone could be inside. Bartholomew was uttering prayers by the horses. Felipe was close by; scanning the area with his eyes to make sure the area was clear.

She banged the door and it swung open. The place was empty. Nothing was there except the burning oil lamp. "Bartholomew, Felipe, scour the house. We might find something important here." The two men nodded and started searching.

Bartholomew opened the cupboard. He was greeted by dust and cobwebs. All he saw were clay pots and a lone spider crawling on them. He closed the cupboard. Little did he know that those clay pots contained the livers of the _manananggals_' victims.

Felipe opened the crude cabinets in the empty and dark bedroom. He suddenly saw a few pillow-like objects fall. "I wonder what this is." He said. He opened the small window in the bedroom, letting the light of the moon shine upon the room. He examined the objects that fell from the cabinet.

"God have mercy on me! What are severed lower halves doing here in this cabinet?" the handsome knight exclaimed. Cayetana and Bartholomew came to the scene quickly. "Oh my!" the friar said, clutching his stomach. "Excuse me, but I think I need to vomit." Bartholomew said, rushing outside the house.

"These lower halves belong to the sisters." Cayetana said, brows knitted, "How does it happen?" Felipe asked. "At sundown, their bodies will separate. When that happens, they will grow fangs and bat wings and they shall fly to look for flesh and livers." She answered as Bartholomew entered the room.

The friar, disgusted, looked upon the bloody parts and grimaced. "How do we defeat them?" Bart asked. "Usually, spraying vinegar, garlic or hot peppers and sometimes, salt will do for regular manananggals. In spite of our efforts, we cannot kill them. They would be irritated by these things but they'll recover faster than the bullets shot by the _guardia civil_." Cayetana said.

"Isn't there any legend or any story passed down?" Felipe said, bewildered. "Well, there is one story…and it was our _cura paroko_ who shared this with me. The kind old cleric always told me stories and news especially when he came back from Manila. He taught me how to be fluent in Latin and Spanish too…" she said.

"Go on; tell us how the story went." Bartholomew said. "We'd better put the lower halves back in the cabinet before I tell you these things. Close the door and the windows." The aristocratic belle said. So they cleaned up their "mess" and shut all windows and doors. Not even the vampires could discover their doing.

They sat on the _papag _(floor, usually made of bamboo), with only a flickering oil lamp for light. They sat closely beside each other, afraid of what could be outside the safety of the hut. What an irony! They find themselves safe in the house of an enemy! Cayetana started to speak as the lamp suddenly grew brighter.

"Father Marquez-Villalobos came from a priests' convention in Manila and he heard this story from one of the bishops. The bishop said that when he was just a lad, a soldier in the Spanish navy, named Francisco de Lopez y Zamora…" she was cut off in mid-sentence by Felipe. "That's…that's my dead grandfather!" "Sssh!" Bart said. "Oh, sorry." Felipe said.

"This soldier had a dagger. Its handle was made of obsidian, inset with precious stones. It had a sharp, curved blade forged with silver and steel. The scabbard was made of tough and shiny obsidian, also inset with precious stones. The Pope gave it to him when he was just a baby. The Pope himself blessed it. The baby became a general in the army. He defeated many armies and he was once tasked with killing a _manananggal_ in one of the most distant villages here. Using that dagger, he killed the _manananggal_ with a strike filled with courage and faith. The vampire died instantly and it never came back. The general went back to Spain and spent the remainder of his long life there." Cayetana said.

"It must be a beautiful dagger." Bartholomew said. "I remember my grandfather giving me a dagger. It's as beautiful as Heaven." Felipe said. He took a shining blade from his pocket, protected by a glassy obsidian sheath.

He unsheathed it and held it by the lamp. The scabbard and the dagger itself matched Cayetana's description perfectly. The blade was well-maintained. Nobody would have known that it was more than 50 years old.

"I guess we have to go home. We don't have much information and the night is becoming deeper and deeper. We wouldn't want to bump into any of them tonight." Bartholomew said. "I agree with you." Felipe said. Cayetana gave a small yawn in agreement. The knight sheathed his dagger and pocketed it.

Suddenly, they heard deafening screeches coming by. "The _manananggals_ are coming! Quick, put the lamp back and hide!" Cayetana said, tapping Bartholomew quickly. They scurried off to place everything in the right place.

"Where do we hide?" Felipe said. "Jump out of the window!" Cayetana said, as the men couldn't do anything but follow her. They jumped out of the window and hid by crawling under _rosal_ (a kind of flower) bushes and stooping behind the thick foliage and tall ferns.

Hidden by the forest, which seemed to be on their side, they saw the heartless heathen drag severed parts of an old woman. Cayetana saw the neck of the victim. It was a gold necklace with a cameo. The cameo was encircled by pearls and diamonds, Aunt Teresa's favorite gems. She was about to scream but Felipe covered her mouth as she began to cry.

She buried herself into Felipe's shoulder. Bartholomew held her shoulder, saying, "We cannot do anything else, Cayetana, no, nothing more. We're sorry." The friar admonished.

"No, I don't blame you both. I blame myself. Now that I don't have anyone else in the world, no other relative, I can die now. I'm useless. I can't even protect my own aunt." She said.

"You didn't want it to happen…" Felipe replied. "I abhor these three more than you will ever understand. They took all my close relations from me. I have no one left." Cayetana said, almost shrieking. Afterwards, there was a deafening silence. The knight held the woman's cross necklace in his hand. "Don't lose faith." He said, embracing her. Bartholomew joined in the embrace.

"We have to go now. If we stay any longer, they'll find us." Bartholomew said. They stood up from the ground and quietly unhitched their horses. They went back to the house, at an unholy hour.

Thanks for reading! Please review.


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